29 January 2009
Monash researcher Professor Nadia Rosenthal was awarded a $4 million National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Australia Fellowship to investigate ways of enhancing the heart's regenerative capacity in ageing and disease.
Professor Edwina Cornish, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) said that Professor Rosenthal's Australia Fellowship was an exceptional achievement.
"Professor Rosenthal's was one of twelve researchers to receive this extremely prestigious fellowship" said Professor Cornish.
"Monash University is extremely proud to have Professor Rosenthal as our very first NHMRC Australia Fellow."
Professor Rosenthal's research will utilise breakthroughs in genomics (the branch of genetics that studies organisms in terms of their full DNA sequences) to look at how to improve the human body's regenerative capacity in ageing and disease. A successful outcome of this research will pave the way for innovation in clinical treatment of some of the most devastating chronic health problems in Australian society, such as coronary heart disease.
The health of Australia's ageing population will continue to be an important issue with the Australian Bureau of Statistics predicting that by 2056 people aged over 65 years will be the largest proportion of the total Australian population.
As a regenerative medicine specialist who has held distinguished positions at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Imperial College in London and Harvard University, Professor Rosenthal was instrumental in establishing Associate Membership for Australia at EMBL, the most cited scientific institution outside of the US in molecular biology and genetics. Monash University will be the home of EMBL Australia.
"On behalf of the University, I express my congratulations to Professor Rosenthal. We are thrilled that she and her team will be conducting such vital research here in the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute (ARMI) at Monash," said Professor Cornish.
For further information, contact the Monash Media Office on +61 3 9903 4840.
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